Automatically closed couplings

Abstract

This invention pertains to an automatically-closing coupling which is adaptable to permit either roundended or square-ended shafts to be laterally inserted thereinto. Pedestals, including anti-function bearing rotatably support driving and driven spindles. Lateral slots are provided in the pedestals, in intermediate locking sleeves and in the spindles into which the ends of a shaft are freely received when the slots are all rotated into alignment and held by a detent means. After the shaft is inserted, a quarter turn of the spindle causes relative rotation between the spindles and the sleeves, locks the shaft in the spindles and releases the detent means, thus allowing free rotation of the shaft and spindles relative to the pedestals.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An automatically closed coupling for shafts on which are carried reels, spools, rolls and the like, each end of the shaft having a driving means, said coupling including: (a) a pedestal having a housing portion and means for fixedly securing to a support; (b) antifriction bearing means carried in said pedestal housing; (c) a spindle carried in said bearing means so as to be free turning therein, said spindle further secured for axial retention in the pedestal housing, the spindle having at least one extending end portion; (d) an extension portion formed on one end of the pedestal housing and enclosing at least a portion of the extending end portion of the spindle; (e) an access opening formed in the extension portion of the housing, this access opening sized to pass therethrough the end of the shaft to be mounted in the coupling; (f) a U-shaped receiver and opening formed in the extending end of the spindle, this U-shaped opening sized to slidably receive and retain the end of the shaft to be carried in the coupling; (g) cooperative means provided in the U-shaped opening in the spindle and on the end of the shaft to insure that the shaft end when mounted in the U-shaped opening is prevented from relative rotative motion of the shaft and spindle; (h) a collar member slidably carried on the extending portion of the spindle, this collar member both rotatable and axially movable on and over the extending portion of the spindle, the collar member having an access opening through one side thereof, said opening when aligned with the U-shaped opening in the shaft and the access opening in the housing providing a passageway through which is passed the end of the shaft for mounting and carrying in the U-shaped opening in the spindle, the access opening in the coupling occupying no more than about one-quarter of the coupling diameter at the point where it is adjacent the U-shaped receiver opening in the spindle; (i) a cam track and cam track actuating member interactively and cooperatively carried by and formed on the extending portion of the spindle and collar member and adapted to permit relative rotational displacement of about a quarter revolution between the spindle and collar from the position whereat the U-shaped receiver opening in the spindle and the access opening in the collar are in alignment, and at this quarter revolution displacement the cam track is constructed so as to engage the actuating member to move the collar axially a short distance along the shaft extension, and (j) restriction means cooperatively carried by the collar and pedestal housing to inhibit turning of the collar in relation to the pedestal until the cam track engaging member engages the end of the track to cause axial movement sufficient to disengage the restriction means allowing free turning of the spindle in the bearings whereby when a shaft is passed through the aligned openings in the pedestal housing, the collar member and the U-shaped receiver opening in the spindle are seated in the U-shaped opening and about a quarter revolution of the shaft is made, the spindle turns with the shaft a like amount whereby the coupling which has not yet turned because of the restrictive means has a portion of the coupling brought in way of the U-shaped opening in the spindle to trap and retain the shaft end in the coupling as and until the coupling is manipulated to align the several access openings for removal of the shaft. 
     
     
       2. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 1 in which the cooperative means between the U-shaped opening in the spindle and the end of the shaft to prevent relative rotation is a square end on the end of the shaft and a U-shaped opening configured to receive and retain said square end of the shaft so as to substantially position the shaft in an axial coincidence with the axis of the spindle as it is rotated. 
     
     
       3. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 1 in which the cooperative means between the U-shaped opening in the spindle and the end of the shaft is that the end of the shaft is round and the U-shaped receiver opening in the spindle has a semicircular configuration on its closed end and the means to prevent relative rotation is a key carried partially in a keyway in the end of the shaft and a keyway formed in the semicircular bottom of the U-shaped receiver opening in the spindle. 
     
     
       4. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 3 in which the key is secured in the keyway in the U-shaped opening in the spindle and the key is of a length which fits and retains the shafts in axial position by appropriately formed blind keyways in the ends of the shaft. 
     
     
       5. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 1 in which the coupling is a non-powered coupling and the collar has a pair of substantially opposed pins carried therein, the ends of the pins entering the space normally occupied by the end of the shaft mounted in the coupling, the shafts to be mounted in this coupling having a circular groove formed therein, this groove cooperating with the ends of the pins to engage these ends and establish and maintain the axial positioning of the end of the shaft in the coupling. 
     
     
       6. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 1 in which the extension portion of the housing encloses that periphery of the spindle portion having the U-shaped opening except for the access opening which is disposed to be at the top of the housing when the coupling is in mounted condition. 
     
     
       7. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 1 in which the foreportion of the spindle is reduced in diameter and the fore-portion of the collar has a like-sized bore which is sized to permit freely rotative and slidable movement of the collar on the spindle, said reduced diameter providing a positive limitation to and for rearward movement of the collar on the spindle. 
     
     
       8. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 7 in which the movement of the collar on the spindle is limited by the cam track and actuating member which includes an arcuate slot formed in the collar, this slot being at least one-quarter of the circular extent of the collar and the actuating member is a pin fixed in the extending portion of the spindle, said pin being slidable in the slot and extending therein to and when and as the pin engages the slot, with the access openings aligned the collar is at its rearward axial position and at the end of a one-quarter revolution relative movement of the spindle and collar, the collar is cammed forwardly sufficiently to remove the inhibiting effect of the restriction means. 
     
     
       9. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 8 in which the cam slot is about one-half the circumference of the collar and forwardly actuating portions are formed on both ends of the cam slot. 
     
     
       10. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 1 in which the spindle has a cap screw adjustably carried in a threaded hole formed in the end of the spindle, the cap screw positioned by turning so that the end of the cap screw will engage the end of the shaft to be mounted in the coupling to maintain the received shaft in the desired axial position in the coupling. 
     
     
       11. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 1 in which the cooperative means for inhibiting the free turning of the collar is a spring detent carried in and by the collar and with the end of the detent engaging a dimpled recess in the housing to provide the inhibiting means until the collar is moved axially sufficiently to move the detent end from seating engagement with the dimpled recess. 
     
     
       12. An automatically closed coupling as in claim 11 in which the dimpled recess is so formed in the housing that a positive seating engagement by the spring detent occurs only when the collar access opening is in a vertically oriented position.